


Jared's Birthday

by elisa_pie



Category: Silicon Valley (TV)
Genre: Birthday, First Time, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-25
Updated: 2017-11-25
Packaged: 2019-02-06 16:28:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12821448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elisa_pie/pseuds/elisa_pie
Summary: Jared thinks that finally knowing the date of his birth is the best gift he can get, until he's proven wrong.





	Jared's Birthday

**Author's Note:**

  * For [joycecarolnotes](https://archiveofourown.org/users/joycecarolnotes/gifts).



> This is a very late birthday gift to the wonderful joycecarolnotes!

“Hey, guys?” Jared says, holding the open envelope in his hands carefully, like a treasure. Which, he supposes, it is. “CPS found my birth certificate, and, oh, my birthday is next week! It’s on the 29th. Oh, what a surprise. I’ve always celebrated it on random days before, if at all!”

There’s barely any reaction from the guys. Richard stares at him for a moment, blinks and mumbles “Yeah, nice,” before turning away again.

But Jared isn’t disappointed. To have an official birthday at all is such a precious gift, such a surprise. The knowledge will be enough for him. In a way _today_ feels like his birthday, with this new knowledge and the sense of something like a new beginning it has brought him. 

Jared goes back to work with a smile on his face.

*

On his actual birthday, Jared considers maybe giving himself the whole evening off — what a luxury! — and maybe buying a special treat from the bakery he sometimes visits with his elderly friends. They do the most marvellous cupcakes, and there’s a new flavor Jared’s been wanting to try out.

Before he can leave the hostel, his phone rings. It’s Richard, and Jared smiles to himself before answering. Richard’s been out most of the day, so Jared is happy to have a chance to talk to him. He just hopes Richard isn’t calling with some bad news about the company. There always seems to be a new disaster around the corner, waiting for them.

“Hello?”

“Um, hi. Jared?”

“Yes, Richard, is everything okay?” Jared asks.

He tries not to feel worried. Richard has been acting strangely lately, even more strangely than usually. He’s been under a lot of stress, and Jared can’t help being worried about him. If there’s anything he can do to help Richard, it will be a worthwhile way to spend his birthday for sure. His own silly plans can wait.

“Yeah, um. Sure, everything’s fine. Just—I forgot my phone.”

Jared frowns a little, confused. “But Richard, you’re calling from your phone.”

“Um. Yeah, sorry. I meant. My laptop. Could you bring me my laptop?”

“Oh, of course,” Jared answers, relieved that the problem is something he can easily solve. Maybe he can visit the bakery on his way back to the hostel. Or, maybe, he can visit the bakery first, if he has time, so he can bring Richard something, too.

“Good, yeah. I’m at that fancy restaurant you told me about? The one near the park?”

“Oh! You're meeting with the new investors already?” Jared asks. No wonder Richard has been acting so nervous and twitchy recently!

“Yeah. Sure. And um, Jared.”

“Yes?” Jared asks, already taking Richard’s laptop from the desk and putting it in his bag while balancing his phone between his shoulder and ear.

“You should probably—not that you don’t usually dress nicely, but um. It’s a pretty fancy place, so you should—so you can get in?”

“Yes, of course. No problem. I’ll be right there.”

“Good. That’s—yeah. Bye.”

Jared looks down at the sweater he’s wearing. It seems decent enough, but he goes to the garage and changes into the smart but casual suit he usually wears on dates. That should be nice enough. He takes a look in the mirror and smooths down his hair. You can only make a first impression once, Jared thinks, and whatever big investor Richard is meeting, well. Jared should give as professional an impression as he possibly can of their company. The cupcakes will have to wait.

*

There isn’t too much traffic on the way, but Jared arrives to the restaurant feeling a little worried, hoping he’s not too late.

“Hi Jared,” Richard says, standing up from the small bench in the waiting area and staring at Jared, his gaze moving slowly down. “Um, wow. You really took that dress nicely advice to heart, hah. You, um. You look good.”

Jared feels warm at the words, and smiles at Richard--who is dressed in nice pants and a neatly ironed button-down shirt, looking very nice and sharply dressed indeed. 

“Oh, thank you! You look nice, as well. But Richard, what are you doing out here? I thought you were having an important meeting—”

“Yeah, well. Sorry? I don’t—well. I don’t actually need the laptop right now, and that meeting is tomorrow, but, um. I needed an excuse, because I—it was supposed to be a surprise,” Richard says, in a rush, twisting his hands in an all too familiar nervous gesture.

“What is going on?” Jared asks, getting even more confused as a waiter approaches them and tells them that their table is ready.

Richard gives him a little smile as they follow the waiter to a small table by the window. If there is no meeting, then what are they doing in the— _oh_. There are only two chairs at the table, and as they sit down, the waiter tells them he’ll be right back with the menus. Jared looks at Richard, still confused as to what is going on.

“Okay, well, um. This is the surprise,” Richard says, gesturing towards the table between them and the rest of the restaurant around them, and Jared stupidly looks around, half-expecting the actual surprise to jump at him. “Happy birthday, Jared.”

Jared looks at Richard, not quite believing he’s heard right. It _is_ his birthday, but he still can’t quite make sense of how and why Richard has decided that merits a nice dinner like this.

“Oh, Richard, how did you—” Jared starts, his eyes widening. “You were listening when I told you guys about the letter? You _remembered_ the date?”

Richard squirms in his chair, avoiding Jared’s gaze. “Um, yeah. I hope that’s not too weird? But I kept thinking about it, how, um. Well. You’ve never had the chance to celebrate your birthday properly, and I wanted to. Do something. And I wanted it to be a surprise, the dinner, so I thought. Um. What do you think, Jared? Do you. Do you like it?”

“Yes, of course I do. Richard, this is—” Jared sniffs and looks down, avoiding Richard’s gaze.

“Are you crying—no, Jared, please don’t cry, I—this was supposed to be a happy thing, a party, you know…”

“Oh! I have always wanted a birthday party!” Jared says and smiles at Richard. His heart is so full, he’s not sure how he can get through this dinner. He’s already experiencing enough emotions to last him a week, and they haven’t even ordered yet!

“What—you mean you’ve never had a party—”

“But where is everyone else?” Jared asks, looking around again.

“Oh, um. Well, the guys were busy, mostly, since this was a bit of a last minute thing, and um. I didn’t want it to feel like a work thing, you know? But is this—would you have wanted more people? I just thought—”

“Oh no, Richard, this is—this is perfect.”

Richard blushes a little. “Good. I’m glad.”

They’re silent for a while. There are so many things Jared wants to say, but doesn’t, in case they embarrass Richard. Thoughts running through his head like _thank you, this is more than I ever imagined, why did you, you didn’t have to, I love you so much._ So he stays silent instead, content to look at Richard, who looks even more beautiful than usual in the soft light of the restaurant—curls of soft-looking hair catching the light as he moves, his cheeks a little flushed.

The waiter arrives with the wine list, and Jared tries to politely decline.

“Oh, maybe we shouldn’t—perhaps just some sparkling water?”

“No, no, Jared we should—it’s your birthday. Let's have some wine.”

So they get the wine, and then the same thing happens with the food. Jared suggests a simple option, only for Richard to insist that this is a special occasion and they should treat themselves. 

The food is excellent, and so is the wine. Jared delights in this chance to spend time with Richard outside of work. He asks Richard questions about his childhood and Tulsa, about how Richard used to celebrate his birthdays as a kid. It’s nice to hear about happy memories related to birthdays, and to see Richard more at ease as he talks about his childhood. Jared delights in the trust Richard shows him, and the interest Richard shows in what Jared has to say.

It’s the kind of birthday present Jared hadn’t even thought he could have. An intimate, almost romantic, dinner with Richard. It’s like straight out of his most secret, most carefully guarded fantasies. But the reality of it is better than anything he could have dreamed.

“So, are you having a good time?” Richard asks when they’ve finished their food and there’s a comfortable pause in the conversation. 

“Yes, I am,” Jared says and nods his head for emphasis.

The waiter comes to take their plates and asks if they would like any dessert. Jared feels like that would definitely be too much of an indulgence, after the whole evening has felt like such a sweet, special treat.

“We should have some, um, cake? Or something,” Richard says before Jared can object.

“Oh, perhaps we could share?” Jared suggests, thinking that it wouldn’t feel like such a big deal then, if he only had half a slice.

Richard stares at him across the table for a moment before saying, “Yeah, okay. Sure.”

They end up choosing a chocolate cake. The waiter brings it over with two forks, and Jared’s heart leaps a little at the sight. It feels so romantic, so intimate to share food, especially a dessert. He imagines lifting his fork up to Richard’s mouth, feeding him a bite of the cake. Imagines offering a small piece with his hand, and Richard licking the chocolate icing off his fingers. He shudders a little at the pleasure jolting through him at the idea, and immediately chastises himself for entertaining such indecent thoughts.

Instead he takes a bite himself, letting the chocolate melt on his tongue as he watches Richard shove cake into his mouth in quick bites. Some crumbs fall on the table, and there is a smear of chocolate in the corner of Richard’s mouth that Jared wants to lick off. Maybe it’s the wine, maybe it’s the intimate atmosphere of the restaurant, but Jared feels a little reckless.

So he takes his napkin and reaches across the table, wiping the chocolate from the side of Richard’s mouth. Richard stares at him, frozen in place, eyes wide, and Jared can feel himself blush. It’s definitely the wine. He would never have dared to—to touch Richard in such an intimate caress otherwise, even if it was with a soft piece of cloth instead of just his fingers. Or his tongue. Oh gosh.

“What, um. What are you—”

“You had some chocolate, right there,” Jared says and takes a final bite of the cake to stop himself from blurting out something like _It was so distracting, I couldn’t stop staring at your mouth._

They finish the slice, and Jared has to look away as Richard discreetly licks some chocolate off his own fingers. It’s too much, too distracting, too _erotic_ to be able to see something so closely resembling his earlier fantasies. 

Richard insists on paying, despite Jared’s protests. As they leave the restaurant, it’s soft and intimate atmosphere, Jared fears that the magic of the evening will wear off. But his heart is still so full, and Richard is so near while they stand outside on the street waiting for an Uber. If Richard were to ask him what he thinks of the evening, if he had fun, that’s what Jared would answer. _It’s magical, Richard. I don’t want this evening to end._

“Hey, Jared?”

“Yes?”

Richard stares at him for a moment, worrying his lower lip with his teeth, and looks down again. He then reaches into his bag and takes out a small, clumsily wrapped gift and hands it to Jared.

“Here. Um. Happy birthday.”

Jared lifts his hand to his collarbone in an automatic gesture and gasps.

“You got me a present, too?” he asks. "Oh, Richard, this is too much."

“Yeah. Um. Do you want it? It’s not much, but.”

Jared takes it and turns it over in his hands. “Oh, of course I want it!"

“Well. Are you gonna open it?” Richard asks when Jared just stares at the package.

“Oh, yes!” Jared says, carefully unwrapping the paper to reveal a pair of binoculars.

“I just thought, um. Since you like birdwatching? And maybe you have a pair, but. If you break it or lose it you’d have an extra pair and--”

“It’s perfect," Jared whispers, holding the bonoculars against his chest. "Thank you, Richard.”

“Um. Yeah. You’re. Welcome.”

Jared wants so badly to hug Richard, but doesn’t dare to try. Richard would certainly shy away again from such an obvious form of physical affection, and Jared doesn’t want to ruin this wonderful evening by having Richard recoil from his touch.

The drive back to the hostel is mostly quiet. 

“Richard, I just wanted to thank you. This has been—” Jared starts, suddenly overwhelmed with emotion again. He reaches over slowly and covers Richard’s hand with his, gently squeezing. Richard doesn’t move his hand away, and Jared can feel his heart speeding up.

“Thank you,” Jared whispers after a short silence, unable to think of anything else to say.

“Um. You’re welcome,” Richard replies and turns his hand around, squeezing Jared’s hand in return.

His hand is warm and dry, which surprises Jared. Whenever he has fantasized about doing this, he’s imagined that Richard’s hand might be cold, a little damp with sweat perhaps. But Richard’s hand feels so warm and wonderful in his. It’s like it’s Jared’s heart instead of his hand being squeezed, so carefully, so gently, by Richard’s fingers.

They stay silent for the rest of the drive, still holding hands.

*

Not much is different after that evening, except Jared gives into his desire to touch Richard more often, encouraged by Richard's reaction in the car after their dinner. And Richard accepts those touches without twitching away nervously every time he sees Jared reach his hand out to him.

And the weird, fluttery feeling Jared feels in his chest whenever he’s close enough to touch Richard is even more intense now that he knows—or hopes, at least—that his touches are not unwanted, like they had been before. That maybe, possibly, Richard treasures these accidental and not-so-accidental touches as much as Jared does.

One time they’re sitting next to each other at the desk in the work room when Jared leans over to ask a question, and their legs bump by accident. Jared freezes, preparing himself for the inevitable rejection. But Richard makes no effort to move his leg away, and Jared relaxes, delighting in the warmth he can feel radiating from Richard’s leg. He looks over at Richard to see him blushing and smiling a little to himself. Jared can’t stop thinking about it for the rest of the day.

When he sits next to Richard on the couch the day after that, he sits slightly closer than usual, so that their thighs are touching again. When Jared notices a crumb from the burrito Richard had for lunch on the sleeve of Richard’s hoodie, Jared reaches over to brush it off, letting his fingers linger on Richard’s arm for a moment.

And Richard lets him. Jared can feel himself almost bursting with the happiness, the trust Richard shows him by allowing these small touches.

*

Jared’s making himself a cup of tea in the early morning when Richard shuffles sleepily into the kitchen.

“Good morning, Richard! Did you sleep well?”

“Uh,” Richard replies. “Not really. I was working until three or four, or, I dunno. Something like that. So, not really.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

“It’s fine,” Richard says around a yawn. “Is there any coffee?”

“Yes!” Jared says brightly. “I made a pot in case you got up early.”

“Wow. Thanks,” Richard says and reaches for the pot at the same time as Jared.

Their hands brush, and Jared feels a sparkle of electricity all the way up his arm. Richard looks up at him, eyes wide, but again, he doesn’t move away. Jared moves his hand slowly up Richard’s arm, lightly tracing his fingers along bare skin.

“Jared?” Richard asks, his voice breathy and quiet. “Is this—do you wanna—”

“Yes,” Jared replies, and stills his hand, fingers resting just above Richard's elbow.

Richard gives a nervous little laugh. “You don’t even know what I—what I was gonna ask.”

Jared shakes his head a little and smiles. “It doesn’t matter. The answer is still yes.”

“Oh, fuck,” Richard says and leans a little closer, his gaze dropping to Jared’s mouth. “Can we—please—”

Jared leans down and captures Richard’s lips in a kiss. His heart soars when Richard accepts this touch too--and not only accepts it, but sighs into Jared’s mouth and wraps his hand around the back of Jared’s neck, holding on tight and deepening the kiss. Richard’s lips are soft and warm against his, and a little dry. Just like his hands, Jared thinks. His own hands travel down to Richard’s waist, and they keep kissing.

Jared pushes him against the counter, and Richard gasps, breaking off the kiss.

“I’m sorry, Richard, I didn’t meant to—”

“No no,” Richard shakes his head and continues, his words coming out in a rush. “It’s good. Really good. I like it. I, um. I like you.”

Jared grins at him, feeling so happy he can feel his eyes watering. He ducks down his head for a second before looking up again.

“I like you too, so much,” he whispers, feeling so light and free, being able to say it. “Richard, you’re amazing, so brilliant, so—"

“Kiss me again, please,” Richard interrupts frantically, leaning closer, and Jared is more than happy to comply.

“Did you—” Richard starts as he breaks off to take a breath. “Those touches—were you flirting with me?” 

“Yes,” Jared replies. “I suppose I was. I hope that didn’t make you uncomfortable.”

“No, no, it’s. Oh, fuck. I was hoping you might—I wanted to kiss you, that night, outside the restaurant, but I. Um. Chickened out.”

“You can kiss me all you want now,” Jared says, marvelling at this wonderful turn of events. To be able to say a thing like that, completely openly and honestly, and to have Richard responding immediately by giving him a short and sweet, playful kiss on the lips... Jared can’t quite believe it’s real.

“Do you wanna maybe. Um. Go to my room?” Richard asks, his fingers twitching on the hem of Jared’s t-shirt.

Jared nods.

They peel off their clothes quickly. Jared is thankful for the fact that they’re both still in their pajamas, which makes everything easier. Then they are on Richard’s bed and Richard is begging for Jared to touch him. So Jared wraps his hand around Richard's cock and moans himself at the contact, how Richard is arching up underneath him, moaning Jared’s name, hands travelling up and down on Jared’s back, fingernails digging into the skin.

Jared strokes him faster, swallowing the moans and whines Richard makes.

“Do you want me to use my mouth?” he asks. “I could—oh, Richard, I’ve been thinking about it for so long, how you would taste, how you would feel—”

Jared doesn’t even finish his sentence before Richard is coming, making sweet little _ah-ah_ sounds against Jared’s mouth.

Richard turns his face to the side and mumbles, “I’m s-sorry, that was. Embarrassing. So fast. Stupid.”

“No, no,” Jared sooths, stroking Richard’s face with his clean hand. “That was beautiful. Your face is so expressive, it’s. Well. It’s such a privilege, such a _gift_ , to see you like that. You should not be embarrassed by such an... _erotic_ display of pleasure.”

“Oh. Okay,” Richard says and squirms a little.

Jared kisses his cheek and jaw and murmurs, “We can go again, soon. I’m not done with you yet.”

“Fuck,” Richard whispers. “How are you even real?”

Jared laughs against Richard’s skin, thinking about how his life was before, how it started to feel more real after he met Richard. How has never felt this real, this _happy_. He wants to tell Richard it all, to thank him again for everything.

But Jared’s laughter turns into a low moan as Richard wraps his fingers around Jared’s cock, starting to stroke him slowly, too slowly.

“Oh, Richard, please, could you, a little faster—”

“Yeah, yeah, course,” Richard mutters and speeds up his hand “C’mon, Jared, you gotta—”

Jared thrusts once more into Richard’s hand and comes with a surprised shout he muffles on Richard’s neck.

Jared gets some tissues from Richard’s desk and climbs back to the bed. He marvels at the sight waiting for him: Richard’s gorgeous, naked body, his chest flushed and covered in come. He takes a moment just to stare, to drink in the way Richard looks like this, so debauched, so beautiful, before cleaning them both up. 

Jared throws the tissues away, forsaking neatness for the chance to lie down next to Richard as soon as possible. Richard leans into him immediately, and Jared wraps his arms around the lanky body pressed against his. Their legs tangle together, and Jared thinks that this embrace feels even more intimate than the extremely satisfying, indescribably amazing sex they just had.

“Thank you,” Richard whispers into his chest, so quiet Jared isn’t sure he was meant to hear it at all.

“No problem,” Jared replies, smiling. “I guess I’m a bit of neat freak.”

“No, not just that. I mean. For. Um. Everything you do, and just. Being you.”

“Oh. Well. You’re welcome,” Jared says, his voice tight with emotion. To be considered like that, by Richard of all people, it’s—Jared wants to thank him, but suspects that it would lead to an endless spiral of them thanking each other. The knowledge that they’re both grateful for each other, both wanted to end up in each other’s arms… _that_ is the best gift Jared can think of. It’s no longer his birthday, but it sort of feels like it is.

“Hey. Um. Did you like your present?” Richard suddenly asks.

“Oh, very much! Thank you. I haven’t had the chance to try it out yet, with everything being so hectic here. But I’m hoping to go birdwatching again soon.”

“That’s nice.”

“Richard, would you—not that you should feel in any way obligated to—but if you wanted to, you could come too.”

“Yeah, I’d like that,” Richard sighs and settles even closer. “Anyway, it was probably a better gift than my first idea I got when you told us about your birthday.”

“Hmm,” Jared hums, stroking Richard’s back. “What was that?”

“I wanted to give you a blowjob.”

Jared can’t help it—he laughs. Richard looks up at him, trying to frown but smiling too much to look really annoyed.

“Oh, no, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to—I’m not laughing at you, it’s just. Oh gosh. I would have liked that too, Richard,” Jared says, reaching out to tenderly brush away the hair from Richard’s face. “Very much.”

Richard smiles. “There’s still time for that,” he says and leans down for another kiss.


End file.
